


home is just a room full of my safest sounds

by lotusk



Category: EXO (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alcohol, Attempt at Humor, Best Friends, Bread Theory of Personality, Domestic Fluff, Fireworks, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Nostalgia, Pining, Roommates, Secret Crush, Side Jihope, Slice of Life, Slow Build, Sunsets, bangtan being dumb, boys on a beach, celebrating life and friendship, i made that up don't ask, jin and taehyung are cousins, namjoon is the worst driver on the planet like i'm not even kidding, neighbors chankai, references to kerouac because why not?, seven dudes squashed into a two bedroom apartment God help them, side chankai, yoongi and jin are childhood friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-07-14 13:44:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7174166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotusk/pseuds/lotusk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>jin has always been yoongi's home.</p><p>alternatively, </p><p>yoongi and jin go on a nostalgia tour with their college buddies and somewhere between firefly beach and home, yoongi discovers that jin is all he wants.</p><p>alternatively,</p><p>min yoongi falls in love in slow motion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	home is just a room full of my safest sounds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lulublue1234](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lulublue1234/gifts).



> To Admin Niru, thank you for your kindness! I wouldn't have been able to tell the story the way I wanted if you hadn't given me all those extra hours of writing time. You're wonderful!
> 
> To my recipient, I tried my best to incorporate as much of your prompt as I could so I hope you will like this story at least a little bit. Also, I decided to add two side pairings, jihope and chankai, which I selected from your masterlist of fics you've written. I hope you'll enjoy them ^^ 
> 
> To my friends who offered varying forms of support, encouragement and input: I love you guys to bits and thanks for everything! Special thanks to Reeza and Ezrae for helping me with "job related issues" and RL besties G & J for sharing their bread making expertise so generously. ILYSM!
> 
> The title for this fic is taken from the lyrics of _Talk Me Down_ by Troye Sivan. TMD is a beautiful song which provided much emotional inspiration for this story, so I hope you'll give it a listen before reading this fic.

  
  


“I wanna tell my mom no,” Jin groans as he takes a mouthful of soju. They like coming up to the roof of their apartment building at least a couple times a week—just to have a drink and talk crap while the sun sets. Other tenants from long before had left upturned wooden crates around for people to sit on. Yoongi and Jin usually sit on the ground, leaning back against the rough crates as they watch the sky segue from bright blue to orangey pink to deep purple to black.

Yoongi takes the bottle from him and takes a lazy swig of sourish alcohol. "No to what?"

Jin turns his head so he’s facing Yoongi, the fine strands of his fringe a ghostly blond in the dim light of the dying sunset. “She wants me to go on some dumb blind date and I wanna tell her no, but she’s so. . .persistent. No, make that relentless. My mom is relentless.”

“Yeah. I've known her since I was twelve. Relentless sounds accurate.” Yoongi makes a face. "But she's setting you up on blind dates? You mean like Korean style blind dates where you end up marrying someone your parents pick for you?"

"Nothing that bad, Jesus. I never got round to telling you this, but for the past three months, she's been trying to set me up with _nice young men_ who buy bread from her shop."

"Wait, she's trying to set you up with complete strangers? What the fuck?" Yoongi sits up in shock. Jin's mom owns a small, organic bakery in their hometown that's pretty popular with hipster types and Yoongi’s always been suspicious of pretentious, hipster types.

"That's _nice young strangers_ , dude."

Yoongi scowls. "That doesn't change the fact that they're _strangers_."

"She claims you can tell a person's personality from the kind of bread they buy." Jin sounds like he's rolling his eyes in disbelief and Yoongi chuckles. 

"That's some weird science."

"Try telling her that. She swears by it. She's been building this theory for six years and she claims it's foolproof."

"Are you serious?"

Jin starts reciting facts like he knows them inside out—like he's had them recited to him ad nauseum. "People who buy white bread are conservative and bland. No texture to them. People who like wholemeal are dependable but they've got more character and backbone."

"White and wholemeal bread lovers sound kinda. . .unexciting."

"Fuck you! I _like_ wholemeal bread," Jin gives him an amused glare as he swats him.

"I _know_ you like wholemeal bread."

"I can be exciting." If Jin had been twelve like he'd been when he and Yoongi first became friends, he would have pouted. But Jin isn't twelve anymore so he punches Yoongi in the arm instead.

Yoongi grabs his fist, laughing and not letting go. "You know I'm just kidding, Kim Seokjin! Please. We wouldn't still be friends if all you had going for you were _character_ and _backbone_ ," he snorts.

"Okay, fine. I'll accept that," he says as he pulls his fist out of Yoongi's grasp. "But I can be hella exciting and don't you forget it."

"I wouldn't dare," Yoongi grins. The rooftop lights flicker on—they always come on at 7pm, flooding the area with sickly, yellow light. It always makes Yoongi's skin look pasty and ill, but his best friend always manages to look handsome in spite of the unflattering light. His golden skin and kind eyes and bright smile are so pretty that Yoongi honestly can't comprehend why Jin's not dating; he can't comprehend why Jin's mom would need to set him up on dates even. It makes no sense. No sense at all. It never has.

The lights coming on is the cue for them to finish up their soju and spread out their tartan picnic blanket so they can lie down and gaze up at the stars. Yoongi knows shit all about constellations but he likes the way the stars glimmer and twinkle—far, far away and beyond his reach. There's something strangely special about things you know you can't ever have.

"Of course you would," Jin snorts as he stretches his arms overhead. His body is just a few inches apart from Yoongi's, and their shoulders touch. 

Scrunching up his brow, Yoongi asks, "What about sourdough?"

"Huh?" Jin sounds genuinely confused.

"Your mom. . .what does she have to say about people who like sourdough?"

"Good question. She's only mentioned sourdough maybe once? Apparently, most of her sourdough bread customers are women, so she hasn't had much reason to extoll the virtues of sourdough bread lovers to me."

"Are you seriously going to keep me hanging, Kim Seokjin?" 

"Dude, give me a minute. I need to think." Yoongi doesn't need to look to know that Jin is chewing on his bottom lip. He always does that when he's thinking hard about something.

"I keep telling her: _they're strangers, Ma. They could be serial killers. You could be setting up your only son with a serial killer_. But she insists she knows what she's doing. What was it she said? _I'm an excellent judge of character, Kim Seokjin. There is no way I'd set you up with a homicidal maniac, no matter how much you accuse me of trying to kill you_."

"Oh my God."

"I know, right? Last week, she called to say she's found me the perfect date. I'm like _thanks, but no_. You know my mom, though. Selective hearing. So she's been texting me all week trying to set up a time for me to meet Wholemeal Guy. She must have told me his name a million times but I just can't get past the wholemeal thing long enough to register the dude's name or his job description—I'm assuming it _isn't_ serial killer."

"I don't care if he’s a living saint, don't do it, man," Yoongi shook his head.

"Hey, Wholemeal Guy could turn out to be the love of my life."

"Don't be an idiot."

"It could happen. Just saying," Jin turns to grin at him and Yoongi's breath hitches a little at how attractive his best friend is. He manages to make himself forget most of the time but when it's quiet and it's just the two of them, Yoongi sometimes forgets to forget.

"So. Sourdough?" Yoongi asks in an effort to distract himself.

"Well, you know sourdough is a really tricky bread to make and it's an acquired taste. Like lots of people don't get the appeal of sourdough bread."

"It's my favorite."

"I know," Jin chuckles. "That's why I always bring some home for you if I drop by at Mom's bakery."

"I love your mom's sourdough bread."

“Okay that took a bit of work but I remember what she said now. About people who are into sourdough, I mean. They can be crusty on the outside and a little hard to get close to, but they're really worth getting to know.”

Yoongi can't help but laugh because it kinda sounds a lot like him. “Y'know? Maybe there's something to be said for your mom’s bread theory.”

“Don't encourage her by telling her that. Jesus, Yoongi!”

Yoongi shrugs. "I'm just saying—"

"Well, I guess you’re basically sourdough bread," Jin admits grudgingly and Yoongi just grins at him because what else is there to say.

For the next few minutes, the two friends just stare into the distance at the tiny, technicolor drops of light that make up the city skyline. They've known each other so long that stretches of silence between them aren’t weird. Silence between them is like this oversized plain white tee Yoongi's had for years and years but can't bear to throw out. It's also the same oversized plain white tee he wears when he feels like shit and just wants to be surrounded by the things he loves best. That's kind of what it's like to sit quietly beside Jin. 

Yoongi stretches his left arm out and closes his eyes. He concentrates and he can hear the constant drone of cars passing on the streets fifteen floors beneath them, and the barely there sounds of Jin inhaling and exhaling. He can feel the heat and press of Jin's shoulder through the layer of thin cotton he's wearing. They're being quiet together but it's cool because the silence surrounding them is like that old t-shirt he loves best.

“Yoongi?" His name is uttered so softly that Yoongi almost misses it. Curious, he opens his eyes and turns towards Jin.

"Yeah?"

"I ah. . .got a call from Tae and he says he's driving out here this weekend—”

“There's a but. I feel like there's a big fat BUT at the end of that sentence.” Yoongi makes a sound that's 20% sigh, 80% groan. Seokjin’s menace of a cousin Kim Taehyung staying under the same roof as them for at least 48 hours. This does not smell good to him. It does not smell good at all.

“He might be bringing Kookie and Hoseok—” Jin is doing that thing where his eyes are looking everywhere except at Yoongi. And considering he's such a stickler for eye contact, it can only mean one thing. Kim Seokjin is hiding something. Or possibly a whole host of things. Yoongi is liking the idea of Kim Taehyung crashing at their apartment less and less.

“I'm still sensing that BUT at the end of your sentence.” Yoongi subjects Jin to the full force of his most potent glare (which would have been a lot more intimidating if Jin had actually been looking at him instead of staring at the emerald green glass bottle in his hand like it’s going to make all his problems disappear).

“Well. . .Tae said that when Namjoon and Jimin heard that they were driving out to the city, they decided they wanted to come with. Um. . .yeah. That's pretty much it.”

“Where are Namjoon and Jimin planning to stay?” Yoongi's voice is calm. Like a placid mountain lake. A pool of zen. A river of tranquility.

For the second time in two minutes, Jin says, “Well. . .”

“You're not serious?!”

Jin is staring holes into the label of the soju bottle. “Tae said Kookie and him will take the sofa bed.”

“Seven, Kim Seokjin. SEVEN people in a TWO-BEDROOM apartment! Did it occur to you that this might be a bit too much of a tight fit?”

“We haven't all slept under one roof since college. C’mon Yoongi, it'll be fun. You'll see!” Finally, Jin’s eyes are pointed in Yoongi's direction. There's so much hope and nervous excitement in them that Yoongi’s resolve to veto Kim Taehyung’s home invasion plan begins to crumble at the edges. He closes his eyes in resignation. Yoongi’s never been much good at saying no to Jin.

"So, can they come?" Jin has his arm slung over his eyes like he's scared of Yoongi's answer.

"I can't believe you, Kim Seokjin—" Yoongi growls.

"Is that a yes?" He lets his arm drop to his chest as he watches Yoongi, forehead lined with apprehension.

"If they mess up the apartment or break any of my shit, I swear to God—" Yoongi's words trail off menacingly.

"They won't!"

"This is the absolute _last_ time we're taking on five houseguests at the same time, Kim Seokjin. The _absolute fucking last_!"

“Absolute fucking last,” Jin agrees. His expression is solemn but there's no mistaking the euphoria in Jin’s eyes. 

Yoongi's about to ask how they're going to squash an extra five dudes into their tiny, two-bedroom apartment when he's interrupted by the sound of the access door banging open as steel hits concrete. Then he hears the rumble of male laughter. Yoongi hasn't the slightest interest in finding out who they are. All he cares about is that the interlopers don't try to start a conversation with them. Talking to anyone who isn't Jin always takes so much out of Yoongi and he came up here to relax, not get stressed out.

The laughter stops abruptly and there are _other_ noises now. _Goddamnit_ , Yoongi curses internally because he doesn't want to be trapped up here waiting for the horny couple—whoever they are—to finish making out.

“You'd think they've only been dating for two weeks instead of two years,” Jin chuckles. He's always taken more interest in other people and what they get up to.

“Ahh. . .so it's Chanyeol and Jongin then." Of course it's Chanyeol and Jongin. Who else in this building would be this into each other?

"We should probably let them know we're here. You know, in case they get. . .like carried away?" Jin suggests and he sounds just a little bit self-conscious. Is their neighbors' kissing making him feel awkward for some reason? This isn't the first time they've been confronted with their Chanyeol and Jongin sucking face but this is the most awkward he's seen Jin get about it. 

“You okay,” Yoongi asks, frowning.

"Yeah, sure. Let's just go back to the apartment." Then Jin gives him a meaningful look—as if to say, _well, aren't you going to tell them we’re here?_

"Oh man. Why is this happening?" Yoongi mutters darkly before raising his voice. "Park Chanyeol! Kim Jongin! You're not alone!"

Abruptly, someone (probably Jongin since he’s the more introverted of the two) hisses, _oh crap_ and the making out noises stop. 

_Thank God_. 

"Just give us a minute to get outta here and you can um. . .go back to what you were doing," Jin says as he and Yoongi work together to fold up the tartan blanket. 

"You don't have to go," Chanyeol protests. He and Jongin stand beside each other, looking guilty and embarrassed. They're probably red-faced too, but Yoongi can't really tell because the light up here is so shitty. 

As far as next-door neighbors go, Jongin and Chanyeol are about as good as it gets. When Jin and Yoongi run out and they're too lazy to get their asses to the convenience store, Jongin and Chanyeol always have beer or soju to spare. Okay, and they also have cable, which is a real bonus. Their only shortcoming is that they're crazy about each other and they're not always good at hiding the fact. It’s a good thing Yoongi can overlook how affectionate they can get—well, most of the time, anyway.

Jongin's chewing on his bottom lip with an expression of mild distress on his face. "Don't go, guys. I feel bad. You stay here; we'll go."

"Don't sweat it. Time for dinner, anyway," Jin says reassuringly. That’s not strictly true since he and Yoongi usually eat dinner at eight and it’s only quarter past seven now. But this has always been Jin's way—to choose the path of least resistance, to look after people, to put them at ease. Yoongi is nothing like Jin with his pointy edges and his anti-social ways.

"Have fun," Yoongi waves as they walk past their neighbors.

Having regained his composure a lot faster than Jongin, Chanyeol says, "We'll um. . .try," His cheeky grin is like a small slice of sunshine and Yoongi can almost understand why Jongin is so in love with him. But then it goes both ways because Chanyeol is stupid in love with his quiet, and ever so slightly awkward boyfriend.

"I didn't need to hear that, Park Chanyeol." Yoongi aims his best death glare at Chanyeol and he gets ready to raise his third finger in a not-very-subtle _fuck you_.

"Stop it, Yoongi," Jin warns before grabbing him by the arm and dragging him to the access door.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


“What time are they getting here again,” Yoongi asks as he (grudgingly) helps Jin to replace the sheets on Jin’s double bed with fresh ones. It's not that he minds helping because he doesn't. Yoongi’s just disgruntled that he's helping because their home is about to be run over by noise and mayhem. Yoongi lives for peace and quiet. He loves their friends and he knows he’ll have fun when they're around but goddamnit if they don't always leave a trail of chaos in their wake. 

“They're leaving Cedar Falls at 8.30.”

“So they'll be here around 11 then. Well, I can sleep in, at least. But I still think this has Worst Idea Ever written all over it. Seven people. In this small space. I hope we don't end up killing each other, Jin. Seriously?”

“We'll be too busy having the time of our lives to entertain homicidal thoughts. Promise.” Jin's smile is so blinding Yoongi has to look away.

Ten minutes later and the beds are all ready for the five guests who are about to invade their home. There’s an inflatable mattress on Jin's bedroom floor that's meant for Namjoon, Hoseok, or Jimin—depending on who draws the short straw. Meanwhile, the sofa bed’s been set up and dressed for Taehyung and Jungkook. They've put navy blue sheets on the mattress because Yoongi is convinced Taehyung will leave stains on the sheets. 

“Tae is not a toddler!” Jin had protested. 

“No, he isn't but he can be messy, okay? Have you seen the water-rings and coffee and ketchup stains he can create? On any kind of surface? I just think dark colors are safer is all.”

Jin's really fond of his cousin but even he has to admit that Taehyung gets a little over excited sometimes and no clean surface is safe. So Yoongi gets his way. The sheets belong to him, because 85% of his worldly possessions are dark—to suit his mood, Jin had once joked, and he hadn’t been altogether wrong. 

Yoongi had declared Jin's bedding unsuitable for the job. “They’ll never survive Kim Taehyung,” he’d announced before heading to his closet to grab the first dark fitted sheet and pillow case covers he could find. They’re a much safer option than using Jin’s bedding which tends to come in pale shades of blue, green, gray and. . .pink, of all things. It’s Jin's favorite color and his love for pink is something Yoongi will never comprehend. But that doesn’t stop him from buying pink colored things for Jin. The look of delighted surprise and pure joy on Jin’s face is worth the embarrassment Yoongi has to put up with when cashiers sometimes ask him with a knowing smile if he’s buying a gift for his _girlfriend_. Well, Kim Seokjin is his best friend but he’s definitely _not_ his girlfriend.

“Are we ready?” Jin asks as he emerges from the kitchen with a bowl of microwaved popcorn and two bottles of beer. He sets his cargo on the coffee table (which is now closer to the TV than it usually is, thanks to Taehyung and Jungkook’s imminent arrival), and climbs onto the sofa bed. 

Yoongi’s sitting cross-legged, with his MacBook on his lap as he queues up episode 16 of _Attack on Titan_ for their Friday night marathon. When he’s finally got everything sorted, he places the laptop on the bed next to Jin’s right knee and walks over to the light switch. 

“Ok, ready,” he says as he flips the switch, plunging the living-room into darkness. By the time he gets back to the sofa bed, the opening sequence for _SNK_ is playing. It's corny and dumber than dumb the way they always do the are-we-ready-ok-ready ritual, but they've been doing it since high school and it's just weird to stop doing it even though they’re now grown ups with jobs.

They stretch their legs out and it’s a nice change from just sitting on the couch. They watch _SNK_ more or less quietly, Yoongi griping from time to time about how much Eren screams and can he fucking stop screaming already. Jin just ignores him as he keeps reaching into the bowl balanced on Yoongi’s lap and eats his share of the popcorn and sips his beer. The big, yellow bowl and the bottles are empty by the time they start episode 19, and they're probably halfway through the episode when Yoongi’s eyelids begin to droop. After a while, not even Eren’s screeching can keep him awake—

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


Yoongi cracks open an eyelid and it's dark. So dark and so quiet. All he can hear are the sounds of Jin snoring, his chest rising and falling beneath Yoongi's cheek, his arm curled around Yoongi's back. He can't even remember the last time they fell asleep like this, but he's pretty sure it hasn't happened since college. They used to huddle in Jin’s room to watch whatever because it had a double bed. Jin has never liked single beds, complaining that they make him feel cramped and shut in. Yoongi is the total opposite of Jin, never having ever had any issue with single beds. But then again, Yoongi isn't six feet tall with broad shoulders. He's never needed a whole lot of space. 

He thinks about waking Jin up so they can go back to their own rooms, their own beds. But he's so comfortable and Jin. . .Jin is like his favorite plain white tee. Yoongi feels safe as he settles himself more securely against the hard warmth of Jin's chest. The steady rhythm of Jin's heartbeat and the gentle murmur of his breathing are like some kind of soft soundtrack lulling him back to sleep.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


“Dude, I am never getting into a car with you again,” Jimin pokes Namjoon in the chest. Hard. Yoongi laughs, not at all surprised by Jimin's passionate declaration. It's a mystery to them all how Namjoon managed to convince the DMV to issue him a driving licence in the first place. He can't park for shit, makes a habit of driving at 30 miles per hour in the fast lane, and tailgates other vehicles. Namjoon is a nightmare on wheels and no one in their group will voluntarily ride in Namjoon's car. It's just everyone’s bad luck that the fan belt on Taehyung’s car had snapped the night before. Since Hoseok, Jimin and Jungkook didn’t own cars, Namjoon had become the trip designated driver by default (to everyone’s horror).

"Hey! I didn't expect the little old lady in the Boxster to stop so suddenly," Namjoon says self-defensively.

"She was _an old lady_. They're not exactly known for their lightning quick reflexes," Hoseok pointed out.

"It was a _BOXSTER_! Who expects a little old lady to be driving a fucking Boxster?" Namjoon argues.

“It doesn't matter how old she was or what car she was driving, just stop with the tailgating, Kim Namjoon! Before you actually get into a fender bender!” Jimin isn't the kind of guy who raises his voice much except in fun so Namjoon must have really scared the crap out of him. 

“I do not tailgate,” Namjoon mumbles in protest but he has the decency to at least look sheepish. Taehyung and Jungkook snort in unison and Namjoon whips them a glare. Yoongi shakes his head. Their friends are barely even in the door and the usual serenity of the apartment has already been shot to shreds.

Before things can get heated, and before Yoongi can step in and tell everyone to calm the hell down or they can just drive back to Cedar Falls, Jin intervenes. In that calm, placating way he has, Jin says, “Let's just focus on having fun this weekend, okay? You guys are leaving tomorrow afternoon so let’s not do this. Anyway, I was thinking we could do a whole nostalgia tour. Just do the all the shit we got up to in college, you know? Then we’ll drive out to Firefly Beach to catch the sunset. What do you say?”

Jimin throws an aggrieved look in Namjoon’s direction before reiterating, “I’m not riding with Kim Namjoon.”

“You can ride with me, Jiminnie,” Jin smiles, giving Jimin’s shoulder a reassuring pat. In a matter of seconds, everyone in the room is clamoring to ride in Jin’s car and he has to remind everyone Very Firmly that he’s not going to allow anyone to strap themselves to the roof of his car, so some of them will have to go with Namjoon. The announcement is met with groans.

“I can drive just fine,” Namjoon insists and everyone pretends not to hear.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


They have lunch at The Pickled Jalapeño, one of their favorite diners when they were college students. The corned beef sandwiches and cheesy jalapeño fries are still as delicious as they'd been when they were all college students who couldn't afford much more than cheap diners and fast food joints.

They pour themselves into the back booth of the diner and Yoongi finds himself squashed between the wall and Jin. Pressed into the other side of Jin are Jimin and Hoseok. Yoongi wonders when Hoseok is going to come clean and just confess to Jimin that he's been crushing on him since second year. Probably never. Hoseok can be super direct about pretty much everything under the sun—just not, apparently, about his feelings for Park Jimin. 

As for Jimin, well Jimin isn't easy to read. He's had a few boyfriends in recent years but none that have lasted longer than a few weeks. Maybe he's into Hoseok too but he doesn't want to say anything and he's waiting for. . .Hoseok to say or do something? Yoongi sighs. He doesn't even know what's going on and he's already exhausted. 

His friends are fun and all that but he prefers it when it's just Jin and him and things are restful and predictable. People are too unpredictable. His friends are too unpredictable. He takes a sip of the citrus mint frappe Jin had ordered for him (because he knows Yoongi can't handle anything too sweet) and stares across the table at Namjoon, Taehyung and Kookie. Namjoon and Taehyung are the epitome of unpredictable so it's just as well they're only here for the weekend. 

Then Taehyung says, "Remember that time the heating in our apartment building broke down and it took two days to fix and we camped out here for hours at a time? I swear the owner wanted to throw us out and ban us for life." 

"Lucky Jin hyung managed to convince him we weren't bad for business and that we'd rec his dumb diner to everyone we knew on campus," Kookie pipes up.

From there, they naturally transition into reminiscing about the many hours of their college student lives they'd spent in this very same booth and soon Yoongi is laughing with the rest of them. Jin's arm is slung casually over his shoulder and the lavender mint scent of Jin's shampoo and the citrus notes of his aftershave curl around him, soft and comforting. After a while, Yoongi can barely even smell the greasy diner or pay attention to the conversation anymore. 

His senses are too full of Jin.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


Over the next few hours, they revisit their old college student haunts. They shoot pool at the pool hall on Danger Avenue, go bowling at Paradise Bowl and visit the cinema in Koreatown where they used to watch K-films. There's nothing they want to see though, so they end up just buying peanut butter grilled squid and garlic flavored popcorn from the concession stand, and taking obnoxious selcas in front of the cinema marquee. 

By the time they're done at the cinema, it's time to start their journey to Firefly Beach. Jin had set up an equitable system earlier where everyone gets a turn in both cars. Yoongi isn't happy about having to take the drive to the beach in Namjoon's car but he doesn't want to be a brat and make things difficult for Jin, so he dutifully climbs into the death trap on wheels. At least it's a nice SUV with a kick ass sound system. Things could be worse. Except, of course, they _are_ worse as Namjoon narrowly avoids no less than three fender benders on the way to their destination. He also pisses off two drivers for practically loitering in the fast lane—despite Hoseok and Jimin's persistent hissing at him to _switch fucking lanes, damnit, Joon!_

Yoongi sighs deeply as he tries to convince himself none of this is happening. Thank God he'll be riding with Jin on the return journey to the apartment.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


Shoulder-to-shoulder, they stand in a line, facing the horizon as the sun begins its descent.

"When was the last time we did this, man," Kookie asks and there's a note of wonder in his voice. "After Jin and Yoongi hyung's graduation?"

Quietly, Yoongi agrees. "Yeah. Yeah, I think that was the last time. Can't believe it's been almost two years." And he means it. Where has the time gone? He's got a steady job at a music production firm, a decent and affordable apartment he shares with the perfect roommate, good friends and yet. . .yet his life feels like it's still in deficit. There's a sense of something missing and Yoongi hopes it doesn't take him another two fricking years to figure out what it is.

"We should do this every two years. Celebrate life and friendship here on this beach. Start a tradition," Taehyung suggests. He's always had this amazing ability to pull the rug out from under everyone's feet—his mind and mouth moving in quicksilver tangents when all of a sudden, he stuns everyone with a profound statement. 

"That's a great idea, Tae," Jin says, clasping his cousin's shoulder while everyone else murmurs in agreement.

"So let's get the show on the road. Kim Taehyung, elementary school assistant teacher, single and not really looking but could be persuaded. Happy with my life but I could totally be more motivated. Wow. Not the most impressive resumé but here's hoping it'll sound better when we line up on this beach in 2018."

"I'll go next!" Kookie volunteers. "Jeon Jungkook, currently seeking employment, single and kinda, sorta looking but not really. I'll get back to you on whether I'm happy with life when I finally get a job. Playing Pokémon all day in between job interviews is pretty good shit though. Can't complain."

"Well, enjoy it while you can. You won't have much Pokémon down time once you start work. Okay, okay, this is me. Park Jimin, dance teacher but I want to be able to perform on stage more. Single but I found someone a while ago—" 

Yoongi doesn't even hear the rest of the sentence because he's too focused on observing Hoseok's reactions. His friend looks borderline miserable. Yoongi has a policy of not getting into anyone's business but he feels so bad for Hoseok right now that he's actually tempted to make an exception. He needs to talk this over with Jin and get his opinion. Four years ago, Hoseok had imbibed way too much _sake_ at a varsity Japanese Club mixer after seeing Jimin hook up with some final year student. He'd been a mess that night, subjecting Taehyung, Jin and himself to a _sake_ -fuelled confession about his unrequited love for Park Jimin. There's been no repeat performance since then but Yoongi takes one look at Hoseok's lovelorn expression and his instincts tell him they're about to get an encore. 

"Kim Namjoon, literary columnist, dating a pastry chef who works at the patisserie near my office. She's kinda well. . .she's actually hella great,"

"Dude, are you sure you were an English major?" Taehyung asks. There's a teasing grin on his face but there's nothing mocking about it.

"I can't really, like. . .sentence when I'm describing her. She's just—I like her, okay? _A lot_. I guess I'm happy with my life. But I'd like to write a novel one day? Write my own book instead of just reviewing other people's books. Also, I wanna be a better driver by 2018." Namjoon chuckles at the last bit and everyone bursts into laughter.

There's a pause before Kookie nudges Hoseok, "You go next, hyung."

Hoseok looks distracted but he starts to speak. "Jung Hoseok, dancer and choreographer, single and. . .yeah, I'm single. Life is good but I guess it could be better. I. . .I wanna be happier." Hoseok is usually a ball of crackling, positive energy and Yoongi's never seen him look or sound this dejected in the five years he's known him. Maybe Jimin is thinking the same thing because he's watching Hoseok intently, his forehead puckered with concern. Hoseok should just talk to Jimin. He should just tell him how he feels. Sometimes, it's better to just lay things out, right? What's the worse that can happen? The other person says no?

Then it's Jin's turn. The final traces of daylight cling to his face and he looks so handsome in his pink hoodie which doesn't look quite pink, bathed as it is in the bronze light of the setting sun. "Kim Seokjin, physical therapist. Single but hoping to change that because I'm almost twenty-four and I need to start taking more risks. I'm happy with my life as it stands right now, but I'm working on making it better."

Yoongi’s stomach drops. _Is this about Wholemeal Guy? Jin doesn't want to be single anymore? Jin wants to date someone? Where does that leave me?_

"Hyung, it's your turn," Jimin says but the words aren't really getting through. Yoongi doesn't even remember what he comes up with in the end, but he somehow gets some words out of his mouth. But the only words reverberating in his head are: _If Jin starts dating, where does that leave me?_

“ _Single, I think?_ What’s that supposed to mean, hyung?” Jimin’s giving Yoongi a curious look and Yoongi just shrugs and turns away, but not before he catches the odd expression on Jin’s face. This whole sharing thing is just turning out to be a low-key nightmare and Yoongi needs Taehyung to distract everyone like he always does. Like right now—

Almost like he’s heard him, Taehyung smacks his forehead with the heel of his palm “Aish! We forgot to video all that. We did things half-assed, what the fuck? Let’s do a re-enactment so we have a record of—”

Yoongi is the first to protest with an unequivocal _NO_ , and the rest are quick to follow.

“We can just do the video thing next time, Tae,” Jin says.

“Or not,” Yoongi mumbles.

“Hey!” Taehyung complains but there’s nothing but amusement in his eyes. It takes a lot to genuinely provoke Kim Taehyung and Yoongi isn’t sure if he’s even seen him lose his temper in the ten years he’s known him. He may give Jin’s cousin a lot of shit about being a menace but deep down, he knows Taehyung’s a kid with a good heart and a quick smile. Taehyung’s inner child is never far from the surface and it’s probably why children and dogs like him so much. When Jin told him last year that Taehyung had applied to for a teaching position at an elementary school in their hometown, Yoongi hadn’t been surprised at all. 

“I brought these fireworks along for some random fun but you know, we should make them part of our tradition. Fireworks to celebrate life and friendship—doesn’t that sound great? Well, it sounds cheesy as fuck too but it’s also really, really great,” Jin laughs, his hand disappearing inside his backpack and emerging with a bundle of brightly colored sticks. “Everyone take a couple and stick them into the sand. Make sure they’re standing upright and compact the sand around them real tight, okay? We don’t want them flying out and hitting us in the eye. Let’s just make happy memories tonight, man." 

Carefully, the friends squat on the sand and set up the Roman Candles. Then they’re lighting the fuses with punks Jin had procured from his backpack. He’s always picky about personal safety like that, taking care of everyone in the group without being asked. 

Yoongi stands back, not really participating. He’s still a little shaky from Jin’s announcement. He doesn’t understand; they were just talking about this on the roof the other night and Jin had said he wasn’t interested in going on blind dates with Wholemeal Guy or any of the other bread loving dudes who frequented his mom’s bakery. He hadn’t seemed interested in dating at all so what is he saying now? What’s changed? Why is this happening? Where does that leave Yoongi?

“You’re thinking too hard.” A familiar, husky voice says and Yoongi closes his eyes even though the darkness around them is exploding with vibrant gold and red light and the air is whining with loud, whizzing, popping noises. “Whatever’s stressing you out, we’ll talk about it later, okay? Just enjoy the fireworks for now.” Jin’s arms envelop his shoulders, his clasped hands resting over Yoongi’s sternum. It’s not the first time Jin’s done this or even the tenth, but everything feels different tonight. Heightened. Painful even. Yoongi hates that Jin isn't his favorite plain white tee tonight when he's always been that for him in the past.

No one says anything but they’re all staring up in wonder as the fireworks light up the coastal night sky. Yoongi wants to be excited about the fireworks and he wants to be a part of the group, but his head and heart are all over the place.

Jin whispers in his ear, “Stop. Thinking.” Then he tightens his arms around Yoongi, perching his chin on his shoulder. “I can still hear the gears clicking in your brain. Shhh, all that thinking is spoiling the ambience.” Yoongi has to chuckle at that and for a little while, he sinks back into the safe harbor of Jin’s arms and ignores the white noise in his head. 

As the transient beauty of the pyrotechnic display starts fizzling out, Namjoon’s voice projects across the water. “The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars—” 

No one even turns to stare at Namjoon. After so many years of friendship, they don’t even blink anymore when he starts quoting lines from literary novels at the most unexpected moments. 

Yoongi tends to zone out when Namjoon starts quoting shit but tonight is just the weirdest kind of night. So he finds himself latching on to the words—weighing and examining them. He’s always clung to peace and quiet and predictability but maybe it’s time for him to live and talk and burn, burn, burn. He’s almost twenty-four and maybe it’s time for him to be one of the mad ones in whatever book Namjoon’s pulled that line from.

“What is that?” Kookie asks, head cocked to one side.

“Jack Kerouac. _On the Road_. A book about multiple road trips that lead to self-discovery etcetera etcetera. We should totally do a cross-country road trip one day,” Namjoon says with a thoughtful expression.

“That’s actually a really cool idea? But you definitely _won’t_ be one of the ones driving.” Jimin gives Namjoon the stink eye as he says this and everyone dissolves into laughter.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


The drive back from the beach is filled with patches of quiet. Hoseok and Yoongi spend most of the time staring out the window while Jin and Jimin make mindless conversation to paper over the silence. Jin’s always been perceptive, always had a knack for reading people. Yoongi’s never been able to hide much from him and today is no exception. After all, Jin had already picked up on his mood and said they’d talk about it later. 

Yoongi's not looking forward to that conversation. At all. Like how does he tell his best friend that he doesn’t like the idea of him dating other guys? How does he tell Jin that he’s scared that if he starts dating he’ll leave Yoongi? It’s irrational and about as far as you can get from a typical Yoongi-non-reaction. He _hates_ that he’s freaking out over nothing. He hates it so fucking much. 

There are only two more items on their nostalgia tour. They make a stop at _Galbilicious_ , their favorite galbi restaurant when they were in college because the food was affordable and oh-so-fucking-good. The beef ribs are still as delicious as Yoongi remembers but he’s so restless that he can’t eat more than half of the chunks of meat Jin places on his plate in neat, tidy piles. Jin doesn’t say anything but Yoongi knows he’s worried. He knows he’s worrying Jin but they’re not having a conversation about this in front of the others. 

They start drinking soju at the galbi joint but Jin won’t let them have more than three glasses each, except for Namjoon and him. They only get one glass each since they’re the designated drivers. A sober Namjoon at the wheel is daunting enough. One who’s intoxicated is too terrifying to even contemplate.

“Come on, hyung. Why can’t I have a few more? I’m not even driving,” Hoseok protests and Yoongi knows, with every fiber of his being, that Hoseok is going to get shit-faced tonight. 

Jin holds up a hand. “Save it for drinking games at the apartment. That's how our nostalgia tour ends, remember?”

“God! Don't remind me of the days when we were too broke to drink in nightclubs and bars,” Taehyung groans before adding, “Oh wait, hang onnn. We’re _still_ too broke to drink in nightclubs and bars, what the hell.”

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


After a few rounds of the Image Game, Son Byung Ho and Titanic, Namjoon is snoring sonorously with his cheek planted on the edge of the glass coffee table and Taehyung is sprawled across the sofa bed with his palm over his face, whining every few seconds that the room needs to stop spinning. As for Hoseok? Hoseok is well and truly shit-faced as he lies on the floor on his side, head cradled in Jimin’s lap. A relatively sober Jimin is stroking Hoseok’s back while the other man rambles on drunkenly. Hoseok’s voice is too soft for Yoongi to make out but he hopes his friend is making a soju-fuelled confession. Four years is a hella long time to keep one’s feelings buried— _too long_. The fact that Jimin hasn’t shoved him off is a good sign, though, and Yoongi hopes things work out for them.

Body swaying, Kookie starts to talk in a voice that’s just a few shades too loud, “Not that I wanna be a party pooper or anything but I got a date with this sofa bed. Y’all are in my bedroom so can you like. . .GO? _Kkojyeo_? Shoo?” Kookie punctuates the announcement with a loud yawn and a flamboyant wave of the hand. “Namjoon hyung, wake up!” He gives the sleeping Namjoon a none-too-gentle shake of the shoulder but there’s no response. 

“Might be easier to carry the inflatable mattress out here than to try and rouse the dead.” Yoongi’s tone is no-nonsense and pure practicality. He may not be super sober right now but his brain is still working at 60%. He’s always been pretty good at drinking games. Jin and him both, to be honest.

“Let’s go,” Jin says as he pulls Yoongi off the floor. In a matter of ten minutes, Namjoon is sleeping on the inflatable mattress from the spare room and Taehyung and Kookie are snoring companionably on the sofa bed. Jimin had helped a stumbling but smiling Hoseok to Jin's room a few minutes earlier so Yoongi and Jin are finally alone again.

"I think they're gonna be okay," Jin says cryptically.

"Hmm?"

"Jimin and Hoseok, I mean. I think Hoseok finally told Jimin he was into him and Jimin was cool with that."

"You really think so?"

Jin gives him a smile that can only be described as mysterious. "Jimin's liked him for a while now but he didn't think Hoseok felt the same way. And well, obviously I couldn’t spill Hoseok’s secrets so all I could say was that he should tell Hoseok one day. But he's just been holding it back." 

"Why didn't you tell me? About Jimin?"

Jin shrugs. "I wasn't sure you wanted to know, to be honest."

Yoongi knows he's being childish but he can't seem to stop himself from saying the next thing, "I thought we told each other everything."

"Not _everything_ ," Jin corrects him. His voice is quieter than usual and it makes Yoongi's chest hurt in the worst kind of way.

"When were you going to tell me you decided to start dating?" Yoongi tries not to make it sound like an accusation but it ends up sounding like one anyway.

"That wasn't what I—look, let's just get ready for bed now. We’ll talk about it later, okay?" Jin doesn't look mad. Not really. But he doesn't look happy either.

This is just turning out to be the weirdest fucking night and Yoongi doesn't know what to think anymore. A small part of him wishes he were in the same position as Namjoon, Taehyung and Kookie. Oblivion has got to be better than this gut-churning dread. Any fucking time.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


The AC hums in the background as they lie beside each other in Yoongi's bed, the cotton curtains billowing gently in the draft. Things are never awkward between them but they've been a little out of sync since the beach—since Jin said the thing about dating. So for the first time in years, the silence between them isn't a comfortable one.

"Remember that night on the roof? You said you didn't want to go on blind dates so tonight, on the beach, it was kinda. . .it was a shock is all, Jin." Yoongi wants to turn and look at Jin but he feels a little raw right now so he keeps his eyes trained on the ceiling instead. His bedside lamp is turned down low so it's just bright enough for them to see each other if they want to.

"I wasn't lying, Yoongi. I still don't want to go on blind dates. That hasn't changed."

Yoongi frowns. "I don't understand."

"I only want to date one person—" Jin begins to explain but Yoongi cuts him off.

"I don't want you to date anyone," he says, not even trying to keep the misery out of his voice.

"But Yoongi—"

"Don't. Please?" And Yoongi turns so his body is facing Jin's, their gazes meeting his in the semi-darkness. Maybe it's the soju. Maybe it's Kerouac. Maybe it's a combination of both, but Yoongi decides it's time to live, time to talk, time to burn, burn, burn. "I know it's selfish, Jin, but I really don't want you to date anyone." _—who isn't me_ his mind whispers, filling in the blanks he hadn’t known were there. And for one terrifying second, Yoongi can't breathe. There's no air.

"Why not?" Jin asks, his eyes a potent mix of curiosity and hope and maybe even anxiety.

"I don't know."

"You're gonna have to give me more to work with than that."

"I don't want to lose you," he says honestly.

"Yoongi, you won't lose me if I start dating. I promise."

"I know you mean that but what if your new boyfriend doesn't like me? What if he doesn't want us to hang out? What if he moves in? I'm not okay with any of those options. I know I have no right to ask but I don't think I can deal with you not being in my life. Just like I don't think I could deal with sharing you with some other guy. I just—I can't." He grabs the hem of Jin's t-shirt in a gesture of desperation.

"Is this why you went all weird on me at the beach?" Jin's staring at him, his eyes all soft and a hint of a smile on his lips.

Already regretting his uncharacteristic show of emotion, Yoongi's fingers uncurl, allowing the cotton fabric to slip from their grasp. "I don't know." 

"The thing is, I haven't spoken to the guy yet. About dating, I mean."

"Don't. Don't speak to him." The words slip out before Yoongi can stop them and to his horror, he's grabbed Jin's shirt again.

"You sound almost. . .jealous?"

"Don't be a shit, Jin."

"You don't want me to date anyone else and you don't want to share me with some other guy—"

"Fine. I might be jealous," Yoongi admits, sounding and probably looking like he's swallowed a couple of lemons.

"I wasn't expecting this. It's supposed to be more complicated than this." Jin sighs but to Yoongi's relief, he doesn't look unhappy. Just bewildered. Then he takes Yoongi's hand in his and looks him in the eye. "This is important, okay? I want you to be honest—with me and with yourself. Is this about losing me as a best friend? A roommate?"

"Yes," Yoongi says and Jin's grip on his hand loosens. "Ah fuck. I'm not saying things right." Frustrated, he hides his face with his forearm.

"So you don't want me to date anyone because you're scared of losing me as a best friend and a roommate." 

Yoongi can't see Jin's face because his arm is in the way, but his best friend sounds sad and he knows he has to make things right. Slowly, reluctantly, he removes his arm and faces Jin.

"I am, Jin. I'm scared of all those things happening but also, I really want you to date me. _Date me_ , Jin. I know you like wholemeal and I’m all about sourdough, but _date me_." 

“Why?” Jin’s giving him a searching look.

Yoongi closes his eyes. _This is it_. “Because you’re my favorite white tee.”

“You mean this one?” Jin asks as he rubs the fabric of Yoongi’s shirt between his thumb and index finger. “The one you’ve had since high school? The one you should have thrown out years ago? This one?”

“Yes. The one I’m _never_ throwing away,” Yoongi says firmly. 

Jin doesn’t say anything but his palm settles on Yoongi’s jaw, gentle and warm and solid like it belongs. Like it’s always belonged. His thumb caresses the skin of Yoongi’s cheek, leaving behind a trail of firefly tingles. They’ve been best friends for so long and they’ve always touched each other, but not like this. Jin’s never touched Yoongi like he’s the most precious thing in the world and it’s almost too much for Yoongi. His heart feels like it’s being stretched to the limit. 

“You should know that I like sourdough bread just as much as I like wholemeal,” Jin smiles. Then, he slides across the mattress, only stopping when their faces are so close the tips of their noses are just a hairsbreadth from touching. Yoongi can almost taste Jin’s breath, and he wants to kiss Jin, wants Jin to kiss him. But he’s also terrified and wary. What if it’s weird? What if kissing someone who’s been your best friend for more than half your life is weird and everything gets messed up? 

“Do you remember what my mom said about sourdough bread?”

“Crusty on the outside, hard to get close to but worth the effort. Something like that?” Yoongi’s just rambling but it’s a welcome distraction from the stabs of anxiety plaguing him right now. 

“Yeah, just like that. Well, there was one other thing she mentioned but I didn’t remember it till this morning and well, we haven’t really had the chance to talk all day.” 

“What is it?”

“Sourdough needs a longer fermentation period than most breads,”

“Are we talking about me fermenting here?” Yoongi laughs.

“I’m just saying that we don’t have to rush into anything. It’s a big jump going from friends to. . .whatever this is we’re doing. I’ve liked you for a long time, you know? Longer than Hoseok’s liked Jimin and it’s a lot for you to process all of a sudden and I want us to take things as they come. We don’t need to rush.”

“But—”

“It’s been a crazy day. We’ve done a lot, felt a lot. _Drunk_ a lot,” Jin chuckles. “Let’s just sleep and figure things out tomorrow. Or the day after or whenever.”

“Ok. But I just wanna say—”

“Yeah?”

“I think I must’ve liked you for a while now. But you know me, my brain always takes forever to sort this kinda shit out. When you said you were going to start dating though, I panicked. Like everything would change and you would leave me and the idea of that hurt me—real bad. I thought we’d always be together, you know? I mean we’ve never even dated. We’ve just always been together. Just us two.”

“I know why I’ve never dated but why haven't _you_?” Jin watches him expectantly.

It’s not something he’s ever analyzed before tonight so Yoongi has to rifle through his head and heart for an answer, and he manages to find one in the end. More or less, anyway. “I had you, I guess. I had you and I never met anyone else I wanted to hang out with more than I wanted to hang out with you.”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or insulted,” Jin laughs. He’s shaking his head in disbelief but his smile is an indulgent one. 

“I don’t know anything about all this romance shit. I’ve never even had a boyfriend or a girlfriend. But I took you for granted and that was a dick move. What I’m trying to say is that I am _really bad_ with feelings. Especially my own. But I must have had a lot of feelings for you to get all messed up like that. Does that make sense?”

All Jin says is _yeah_ and then he pulls Yoongi into his arms. Jin smells of bergamot soap and spearmint toothpaste and he feels like Yoongi’s favorite white tee again and Yoongi is happy. So, so happy. “Let’s just sleep for now,” Jin whispers against his hair. Jin’s voice is faint from fatigue and Yoongi mumbles assent. Tired out from a physically and emotionally draining day, Yoongi closes his eyes.

In the background, he can hear the low hum of the AC, the soft ticking of his watch on the bedside table and the sounds of Jin breathing. _Home_ , Yoongi thinks as he drifts to sleep. _I’m home_.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


The apartment is in a state of moderate chaos as the out-of-towners try to jam their dirty laundry and toiletries into open duffel bags. Taehyung, Hoseok and Kookie look decidedly pale, wincing every time someone in the room speaks at louder than a whisper. Yoongi hasn’t seen Hoseok in such a fragile state since the _sake_ debacle four years ago. The pain has been worth it though, if the attention Jimin has been paying him in the past half hour is any indication. 

“Are we packed? Are we done? We need to get back to Cedar Falls by four, okay?” Namjoon says loudly. He’s one of those people who are annoyingly efficient at metabolizing alcohol, so no matter how much he drinks, he rarely ever gets a hangover. 

“Make sure you pack all your shit, okay? I'm not FedExing anyone's underpants to them if they leave them behind,” Yoongi warns them. 

“Hyung, please. We’re not that lame,” Kookie protests.

After another fifteen minutes of snarky comments, the visitors leave. To Yoongi’s great relief, there’s finally peace and quiet in the apartment. It’s just Jin and him again and Yoongi’s never felt happier.

The next time Jin has to use the bathroom, he discovers a pair of Magikarp print boxers lying in a crumpled heap on the bathroom floor. Several sarcastically worded KKT group chat texts later, they manage to ascertain that the owner of said boxers is none other than Jeon Jungkook. Of course.

"I'm not touching those," is all Yoongi plans to say on the issue. He’s not touching the kid’s dirty boxers no matter what. But then he gets pelted with a barrage of pleading texts and emails from Kookie going on and on about how the boxers were a gift from his ex, the one he never got over, and he needs them back: _oh-God-please-Yoongi-hyung-mail-them-to-me?_

So Yoongi ends up FedExing Magikarp back to Cedar Falls anyway, just to make the boy stop whining.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


Now that they’re dating, living with Jin is much the same as it was before, just better. Infinitely better. They still go up to the roof to watch the sunset and they still watch tv and anime together. Jin cooks dinner and Yoongi washes the dishes, and they take turns to do the laundry. Their routine is much the same as it’s always been. 

But there are subtle differences. Yoongi discovers that Jin likes to hold hands and snuggle and give back hugs. And there’s no feeling quite like going to sleep with Jin’s arms around him, and there's no feeling quite like waking up to the solid weight of Jin’s leg over his own and the light press of Jin’s palm over his heart. 

Yoongi is more contented than he’s ever been but he knows that they can’t cuddle and hold hands indefinitely and he feels bad that he isn’t ready to take the next step. Jin is patient, saying that there’s no hurry and when things feel right, they’ll happen. He’s kissed other boys—experimented with them and even enjoyed some of the encounters. But he’d never liked kissing any of those other boys enough to contemplate dating them. With Jin, it’s the complete opposite. He doesn’t want to just experiment with Jin. He wants to kiss _and_ keep Jin. Yoongi hopes he’ll feel ready soon so that things will finally happen for them.

  
  


✩✩✩

  
  


It’s a Saturday afternoon—exactly two weeks since Jin and Yoongi’s friends came to stay and upended their lives in the process. They always buy their groceries on Saturday afternoon and today is no different. Jin and Yoongi walk side-by-side, toting plastic bags rustling with groceries. Jin’s car is parked on the other end of the street and they're about two minutes’ walk away from the parking spot when it starts to rain. There's no warning drizzle—just a few seconds of sudden spatter. Big, fat raindrops hit the sidewalk, _plop, plop, plop_ , and then the water is gushing down to the ground in a thunderous rush. 

“Shit!” they yell in unison as they jog frantically towards the nearest shelter they can find. They find a storefront with a generous white and yellow-striped awning and they huddle under it. They set the bags down before sliding their palms over their arms so they can dislodge as much moisture as possible.

“Everything’s going to get wet,” Jin frets but Yoongi can barely hear his voice over the crashing of the rain. The sounds of water pinging off the roof are so loud and his shirt is clinging to his back, sticky and uncomfortable.

“The groceries will live,” Yoongi says reassuringly even though the groceries are probably swimming in a shallow pool of rainwater by now.

“I can’t remember the last time I got caught in the rain like this,” Jin grins as he brushes dripping strands of blond off his forehead. Yoongi doesn’t think he’ll ever get over how beautiful Jin is. Water droplets are rolling down Jin's face and Yoongi can’t help staring as they make their way down clear, smooth skin. There’s one droplet suspended from the tip of Jin’s nose, and Yoongi reaches out and pushes it off the precipice. And suddenly, Jin’s face is all he can see, his dewy lips too pink and too pretty, and Yoongi has this inexplicable need to just—

And then Yoongi can't think anymore as he curls a hand around Jin’s nape and presses his mouth to Jin’s. Jin's mouth is soft, so much softer than he was expecting. Soft and pliant and his tongue—Jin’s mouth tastes of raindrops and his tongue is doing things to Yoongi’s and everything feels so good and he never wants it to stop. Jin’s arm reaches behind Yoongi, dragging him in so their bodies are touching. The proximity is dizzying but Yoongi surrenders to all the new sensations without hesitation. The raindrops hit the pavement loud and fast, and there’s so much sound and energy around them and Yoongi just soaks it up. 

When they finally stop kissing, lips swollen and eyes half-dazed, Yoongi looks up at Jin. “I love you, Kim Seokjin,” he says in quiet wonder. Then he grins. And it’s that grin—the one that hardly ever appears, the one that exposes his gums and lights up his entire face. “Dude, I’m _so_ glad kissing your best friend isn’t weird.” At the unexpected words, Jin chuckles. Then he takes two steps closer to Yoongi, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile that warms the darkest corners of Yoongi’s heart. 

Gently, their foreheads touch and Jin's eyes are soft with emotion. “I love you too, Min Yoongi,” Jin says, and then he’s kissing Yoongi again. The forgotten shopping bags are surrounded by puddles of water but Jin doesn't care anymore about the things getting drenched.

  
  


**Epilogue**

  
  


“Fuck, that’s loud,” Yoongi complains as the steel door hits the concrete wall on the other side.

“Whatever,” Jin says as his lips move impatiently over Yoongi’s. He’s about to lose himself in Jin’s kiss when he hears a deep, male voice. 

“Who is it?” the man asks.

“You'd think they've only been dating for two weeks instead of two years,” a second voice answers and Yoongi laughs. Of course it’s Kim Jongin and Park Chanyeol up on the roof with them. Who else in the building would even come up here? 

“Min Yoongi! Kim Seokjin! You’re not alone,” Chanyeol announces in his booming baritone. Yoongi recalls a time two years ago when he had said the same thing to Chanyeol and Jongin and he buries his face in Jin's neck, laughter bubbling up his insides.

How the tables have turned.

~FIN

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing yoonjin and they're kind of my OTP so I'm more than a little panicky about it lol. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the story at least a little bit and um, let me know what you think? Kudos and comments are very much loved. Thanks for reading! Come talk to me on [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/caffelotus) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/lotusk).


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